For Thanksgiving, I drove Millie Janalee and Smith 5 1/2 hours south to my hometown.  Unfortunately Russ had to work every day of Thanksgiving and the weekend after.  I debated back and forth on whether I felt guilty leaving him for the first time on Thanksgiving...and so far away.  In the end, we decided to go.  It was a win win.  Except that we would miss each other on Thanksgiving.  He would get to actually sleep and have uninterrupted rest.  I hoped for something similar since my mom usually helps so much with the kids.  Ha!  Russ actually ended up celebrating and having two Thanksgiving meals with different groups of friends and coworkers.

Thanksgiving morning, we woke up and watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade as we always do.  Millie Janalee and Pawpaw sat on the floor to watch it while eating breakfast, and I sat in the recliner snuggling Smith.  After the parade was over, we all got showered and dressed for the day.  Just in time for a little casual lunch.  Millie Janalee enjoyed her Thanksgiving lunch of grilled cheese!  Surprise surprise.  Ha!

I spent the afternoon helping my mom decorate her Christmas tree while Millie Janalee and Pawpaw spent the afternoon outside playing with Brodie (my brother's chocolate lab).  It was a freezing cold day, but she didn't seem to mind.  Smith rested and did his fair share of sleeping in the swing while we decorated.  He's thoughtful like that.

Kristin offered to host Thanksgiving dinner for us at her house.  Usually our extended families join us as well.  However, this year it was just our immediate family and my grandmother.  It was a nice low-key Thanksgiving with LOTS of yummy food.  My mom did most of the cooking, and Kristin made a side or two.  Let's see...we had ham, twice baked mashed potatoes, corn, green bean bundles, dressing, rolls and the like.  So good!  Kristin had set the tables so nicely...

The adult table

The kids and their parents table.  Ha!

We arrived early to visit a bit, and we enjoyed catching up, laughing, and watching the big babies play.  Millie Janalee and Hughes are just now getting to the age where they will actually play together.  Or rather, Hughes is able to at least sit up long enough for Millie Janalee to crawl all over him. Ha!  While we sat around waiting on the food and visiting, we also had some football on in the background.  Because, what's Thanksigiving without football?!

Hughes, Maw Maw, Millie Janalee, Smith, and Sheila

She loves Hughes!

Bless his heart.  Just trying to do push ups while Millie Janalee pushes him.

A little supervision helps

Sweet cousins!

We didn't bring in all the extra tables and chairs since the extended family couldn't make it this year.  Just with our little family, we still run out of seating.  Lee used Maw Maw's wheelchair.  It's probably quite comfortable actually!

We don't see She She and Buck very often these days.  My brother just bought a house in Starkville and they have been busy getting things taken care of.  We spent a lot of time that night discussing all the Black Friday deals on refrigerators and dishwashers.  Ha!  This makes me laugh because of how "adult" it made Dustin look.  Sheila was our Black Friday shopper, and she was able to find a dishwasher and fridge for a good deal!  We spent all night on the phone with her getting the specifics and Dustin bought them over the phone.  Bless her!

She She, Smith, and Buck

After eating our delicious meal and loading up on desserts, we gathered back in the living room to "play" and enjoy our time together.  Sheila had to leave to meet her Black Friday shopping group in Tupelo, but the rest of us hung around.  I remember when we did Black Friday shopping every year when we spent Thanksgiving in Jackson.  I'm not sure I could handle it right now.  Plus, Russ and I cut way back this year in the event of surprise adoption fees...so I'm pretty much finished with my shopping anyway.  I spent my Black Friday early hours snuggling my babies!

My greatest blessings!

Buck, Smith, Susu

Kristin, Nana, and Hughes

Millie Janalee loves wearing her sock gloves!  She pretends to be Miss Patty Cake.

Cousin love

By the end of the night we were all tired and ready to climb in bed.  Some more than others...

I am more thankful this year than ever as I look down and see my lap so full!  My heart is full too.  Thanksgiving did not pass without me giving thanks for the four people who gave life to my sweet babies and loved them enough to make a sweet plan for each of them.  What a blessing!  We missed Russ terribly, but I am glad he was able to rest and celebrate with friends.

God is good.

#2 vs #3

I cannot complete our football season without documenting one of the biggest games of the year.  Possibly the most fun game I've ever witnessed live!  Auburn came to Starkvegas as #2.  We were #3.  And it was to be the game of the week...College Gameday was in town too.  The anticipation was great.  Millie Janalee and I caught a ride with my parents, and we spent the night with my brother again in Columbus so we could be there bright and early the next morning.  We took the evening to enjoy some time on campus and set up our tents.

We woke up bright and early for an incredibly game day experience.  Nothing about the day disappointed!  My family and I knew that this may be mine and Millie Janalee's last home game of the year, because we knew Smith was due to arrive that Monday by induction.  I am so happy that the day proved to be one for the books!  We tailgated in our old familiar spot from years past.  Millie Janalee did a great job refraining from running out in the street.  Ha!  She had some special visitors too!  A couple of the MSU cheerleaders found our tent so they could visit Millie Janalee.  I think she was starstruck!  Thank you, Allison, for taking time away from your fun day to make some fun for my girl!

My mom's best friend and her husband used two of our extra tickets for the game.  She brought her grandchildren by just as the cheerleaders walked up, so they got pictures too.  Such a treat for all of them!

"Nice to meet you!"

Millie Janalee did manage to get a short nap in before game time.  It was a beautiful day to tailgate...contrary to the forecast.

KayKay and Millie Janalee napping

The adults enjoyed relaxing watching College Gameday on the television, the girls and Lee tried to see the Dawg Walk.  Oh my!  Besides a near panic attack, passing out from heat exhaustion, and claustrophobia...we enjoyed cheering our players in with thousands of other fans packed in the Junction like sardines.  We also loved seeing all our visitors as they stopped by throughout the day.

Before long, it was time to make our way toward Davis Wade Stadium for the BIG GAME!  The biggest game in MSU history.  It was time to make a STATEment.  We believed.  As we always do.

The atmosphere was electric.  Cowbells have become a national conversation.  And Bully even came out as "Dak"man!  We were ready.

The rain did eventually come.  And it rained HARD!  Poured.  Not a fan left the stadium.  Our Bulldogs never fell behind those Auburn Tigers, and we came out with an emotional victory over the #2 team in the nation!

Grown adults...fans of many many years...and young adults alike were teary eyed at the sight.  An experience like none other.  One I'm so glad I experienced with Millie Janalee.  And the family of course! Oh what a night!

We took our time loading up the tailgate, because as you can imagine the traffic was unbelievable.  Not a single person left til after the game...and longer.  Everyone was soaking it in.

The next day, we would get out of church in time to find out.  We were #1 in the country!  And would be for five more weeks.  Simply amazing!  From unranked to #1 in just FIVE WEEKS!

It was our nation for awhile.

Of course last week, we lost a heartbreaker to Alabama pushing us back to #4.  Our run isn't over yet.  It's time to show up for that other big game.  Time for our team to travel up to Oxford for the Egg Bowl.  And we will keep going after that.  We just don't know where yet.

First Home Game at Home

One adjustment Millie Janalee and I have made is watching our Bulldogs play from home.  I seriously cannot remember the last time I've missed a home game, but we are getting used to it.  And we actually get a great view...and are able to keep up with all the other games throughout the day without interruption.

Just because we are watching from home, doesn't mean we don't do it in style!

Special thanks to Kay Kay for the adorable hats she ordered for my bully babies!  And the talented Julie crocheted the adorable cowbell for Smith!  It was a perfect day to bring out the cuteness since it was so cold.  We watched the Arkansas game at home with Russ, which was actually very nice.

We even were able to watch the Homecoming game last weekend.  Switching between that and the Auburn/A&M game.  Oh, and the LSU/Alabama game nearly gave me a heart attack...and I couldn't bring myself to cheer for either team.  It's just not in my blood to do so.

This weekend...BAMA!  I may not be able to sleep til Saturday night.  And I hope I'm sleeping with sweet dreams of a victory.

Baby's First Halloween

This Halloween, this mama decided to forego the costumes.  Gasp.  We stuck with Halloween themed clothes and pajamas as we snuggled inside.  It was a cold night, and Millie Janalee had just as much fun giving treats to all the trick or treaters.  We spent our day loving on each other and playing on the floor...

"What's wrong, baby bruvver?"

My newest punkin!

Playtime!  Not his favorite.  He much prefers his tummy on this mat...and good naps that way too!

Of course, naps in the bouncer are nice as well.

One of the challenges with more than one child is splitting time the way you feel like you should.  Mommy guilt is real, y'all.  I know it's impossible, and this is only the beginning.  But, I was able to pull Millie Janalee away to paint for a minute.  We started a Halloween art project.  Millie Janalee painted a black spider with her hands, and she thought is was the greatest thing.  She couldn't wait to show her daddy the "BLACK spider" when he got home.  When Smith woke up from his nap in the bouncer, I was able to snag his footprints too for little white ghosts.

My precious Halloween 2014 treasure.

When Russ finally got home, it was time to get Millie Janalee and Smith's official "Halloween picture" in their Halloween pajamas.  But, this bitty babe needed a bath first.  Soaking in the tub...he likes.  Getting out and drying off...he hates!

But there's not much more precious than clean, happy babies!  Especially when they're mine.

Baby's first Halloween!

Millie Janalee and Russ agree.  Kissing a freshly bathed baby is just he best!

Costumes were overrated this year anyway.  Smith went as a newborn baby, and Millie Janalee went as a new big sister.  My favorite costumes I saw!